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opinion
Even profanities
male dominated
Mother-f*ckin' son of a bitch! Women have been oppressed for
centuries. And although women have more freedom today than
years past, ubiquitous reminders of the continuing struggle
for equality can be heard in everyday language.
Just think of all the profanities directed at men that are
female-specific, deriving from feminine traits or qualities.
Vulgar names to call less-masculine men such as pussy and
bitch all reinforce the negativity that is perpetually reflected
onto women. What does the female anatomy or gender really
have to do with insulting a man? If anything, a man should
feel honored if called a vagina, being the passageway through
which all life begins.
But females are never referred to as male genitalia, so why
the converse?
In the United States, male conditioning to think females are
subordinate starts at an early age. Boys are taught that crying
and showing emotions is "weak" and "girly"
and that they should be "men" and "suck it
up." Girls are allowed to cry, which implies that it's
okay for girls to be weak. This basically translates that
males are dominant and superior, demeaning the dignity of
females.
These ideals of an inferior female gender resonate throughout
society, generating beliefs that being called a girl is negative.
Words are only as effective as the person who acknowledges
them, and the conditioned belief that women are subordinate
to men is why female references can be used to insult men.
And these profanities are not limited to English: "Chinga
tu madre" in Spanish and "do mah meh" in Vietnamese
both translate to "f*ck your mom." These examples
reflect the inferiority towards women on a global scale. And
why the insult to the person's mother? There are millions
of "yo' momma" jokes and I have yet to hear a "yo'
daddy" joke.
In an informal survey, more profanities toward women were
recalled than profanities toward men (which included the aforementioned
expressions). The most common swear words listed included:
cunt (as the No.1 insult), bitch, whore, tramp, slut, bitch-ass
trick, hoe, skank and chicken head. You get the point. So,
I pose to ask: Why are there significantly more profanities
to call women than there are to call men?
Perhaps it is because men have the sole credit of creating
language. Male dominance is diffused through all things. Men
have also been excused throughout history to act with that
much more vulgarity than women.
Females are not the only ones who are subjected to insulting
words or phrases. The gay community is also demeaned by terms
people use ignorantly. Sissy, gay, faggot, etc. are all loosely
expressed, even when speaking of heterosexuals. These derogatory
and offensive terms are at the expense of the homosexual community
and impede the human rights struggle that so many are dedicating
their lives to.
To hope that people would erase these words from their vocabulary
would be a na•ve proposition. But to hope that individuals
will actually hear the contemptuous words that come out of
their mouths is a valid inclination. People need to realize
that these hurtful words add to the perpetuation of hate and
only hinder the effort for equality. So next time you call
someone a snatch, think about who you're really offending.
Christine Shin is a journalism major at Cal State Long
Beach.
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Christine
Shin
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Jargon Juxtaposed -
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